Gervonta Davis, Frank Martin Well Under Lightweight Limit For Prime Video PPV Headliner In Las Vegas
There was no posturing, flinching or other gestures this time.
Gervonta Davis and Frank Martin cut to the chase and immediately got in each other’s face after easily making weight. Words were exchanged but never evolved beyond heated conversation ahead of their WBA lightweight title fight.
Davis weighed in at a lean and refined 133.2 pounds. Martin was a fit and trim 134.4 pounds. Their scheduled 12-round main event takes place Saturday evening at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Prime Video and PPV.com will distribute the four-fight pay-per-view event ($74.99) beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.
Davis (29-0, 27 knockouts), No. 8 pound-for-pound, attempts his first defense as the fully recognized WBA lightweight titlist. The Ring’s No. 2-rated lightweight previously held the ‘Regular’ version but was upgraded when former Ring/undisputed champ Devin Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) moved up to 140.
Saturday’s bout marks the first for Davis since his seventh-round knockout of Ryan Garcia (25-1, 20 KOs) last April 21 at nearby T-Mobile Arena. Their high-profile clash took place at 136 pounds, just above the lightweight limit.
Davis previously held the IBF and WBA ‘Super’ 130-pound titles across two separate reigns. He also won a secondary version of the WBA 140-pound title in 2021.
“I hope he prepared, I hope he been training hard,” Davis said to PBC’s Jordan Plant of his unbeaten challenger.
Martin (18-0, 12 KOs) enters his first career title fight.
The 29-year-old southpaw from Indianapolis—who trains with Derrick James in the greater Dallas area—breaks an 11-month inactive stretch. Martin, No. 5 at 135, last fought in a twelve-round points win over Artem Harutyunyan (12-1, 7 KOs) last July 15 at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
“We just both ready,” Martin insisted. “I’m stepping on his ass, period. I don’t give a damn who [Davis] is. I’m coming out on top.”
Prime Video PPV/PPV.com undercard, Saturday, 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT
David Benavidez (27-0, 24 KOs), No. 1 at 168, Phoenix, Arizona, 174.2 pounds
Oleksandr Gvozdyk (20-1, 16 KOs,), No. 7 at 175, 174.2 pounds
12 rounds, ‘interim’ WBC light heavyweight title
Gary Antuanne Russell (17-0, 17 KOs), No. 8 at 140, Capitol Heights, Maryland, 138.2 pounds
Alberto Puello (22-0, 10 KOs), Las Vegas via San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic, 139.8 pounds
12 rounds, ‘interim’ WBC junior welterweight title
Carlos Adames (23-1, 18 KOs), No. 2 at 160, Las Vegas via Elias Pina, Dominican Republic, 159.2 pounds
Terrell Gausha (24-3-1, 12 KOs), Encino, California via Cleveland, Ohio, 160 pounds
12 rounds, for Adames’ WBC middleweight title
Prime Video prelims, Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT
Elijah Garcia (16-0, 13 KOs), No. 7 at 160, Phoenix (weigh-in not aired)
Kyrone Davis (18-3-1, 6 KOs), Wilmington, Delaware (weigh-in not aired)
10 rounds, middleweight
Mark Magsayo (25-2, 17 KOs), Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines, 129.4 pounds
Eduardo Ramirez (28-3-3, 13 KOs), Los Mochis, Mexico, 129 pounds
10 rounds, junior lightweight
Justin Viloria (5-0, 3 KOs), Whittier, California, 129.8 pounds
Angel Contreras (15-8-2, 9 KOs), Monterrey, Mexico 129.8 pounds
6 rounds, junior lightweight
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